Predictable B2B Success

In this Predictable B2B Success Podcast episode, host Vinay Koshy speaks with Julie Brown, VP of Industry and Customer Experience at Johnson Controls. Julie shares insights from her 24 years of experience in general management, product development, and marketing across various industries. The discussion delves into strategies for achieving profitable revenue growth in the B2B sector, focusing on customer needs, accurate data, and the importance of aligning business operations with value disciplines. Julie also highlights the challenges of traditional market segmentation, the role of leadership in fostering a customer-centric culture, and the significance of storytelling in communicating business value. Some areas we explore in this episode include: Innovation Metaphor: Julie Brown's metaphor of starting a fire in the rain to describe the innovation process, emphasizing the need for nurturing, patience, and understanding.Impact of B2B Marketing: The role of B2B marketing in driving organic double-digit growth for businesses.Leadership and Culture: The importance of leadership in creating a culture of open communication, learning from mistakes, and allowing for experimentation within organizations.Business Language for Marketers: The necessity for marketers to communicate in the language of business, focusing on profitability, revenue, and ROI to gain credibility.Customer-Centric Approach: The significance of being market-focused and customer-centric, as learned from Julie Brown's experience at Alcoa.Market Segmentation: Challenges with traditional market segmentation practices and the suggestion to segment markets based on customer needs rather than firmographics.Uncovering Customer Needs: Approaches like jobs to be done, customer journey mapping, and ethnography to understand the "why" behind customer behavior.Value Disciplines: Differentiating businesses through value disciplines such as price, operational excellence, and customer intimacy, and how understanding customer needs can guide these strategies.Humility and Course Correction: The importance of having good data, the humility to admit mistakes, and the courage to embrace change for quicker course correction and transformation.Explaining Marketing Investments: The challenge of explaining marketing investments to CEOs and CFOs, emphasizing the need for marketers to understand financial statements and use storytelling to make data relatable and understandable.And much, much more...

In this episode of the Predictable B2B Success Podcast, Vinay Koshy interviews Andrew Kahl, CEO of Backbox, on the vital role of customer success in business growth. Andrew shares insights from his extensive experience in customer service and success, emphasizing the significance of understanding customer needs, problem-solving, and the strategic balance between people and processes in delivering exceptional customer service. The conversation highlights Backbox's approach to network and security automation, the impact of customer retention on business success, and the evolving role of technology, including AI, in enhancing customer experiences. Tune in to learn how understanding the "why" in customer stories can be a game-changer for your B2B success. Some areas we explore in this episode include: Metrics tracked for customer success: net retention, gross retention, CSAT, net promoter scoresLeading indicators for customer engagement: unsolicited inbound communication, customer inquiriesFocus on getting customers up and running quickly to build credibilityImportance of customer advocacy and using customer stories for PRInfluence of various platforms to communicate customer success storiesEmphasis on human engagement over solely focusing on metricsInfluence of Tom Mendoza and traditional values on caring for peopleImportance of a human-centric, customer-centric mindset for company growthFuture plans including leveraging AI for network complexitiesImportance of critical thinking skills and communication in problem-solving and customer careAnd much, much more...

In this episode, we delve into the intricacies of stalled sales deals, the critical role of translating technology features into compelling business cases, and practical strategies for coaching sales teams toward success. Special guest Mark Phinick, an award-winning enterprise software deal coach and master storyteller, shares his extensive experience in deal coaching and provides actionable advice for B2B tech companies aiming for revenue growth. Imagine a world where 72% of your new sales opportunities don't stall midway through the pipeline, and complex internal policies and procedures don't bog down your sales reps. What if you could shift from talking in vendor terms to speaking directly to the C-suite, captivating them with compelling business cases? Mark Phinick shares his insights and provides practical steps to transform stalled sales processes into successful, profit-boosting deals. He delves into the art of executive storytelling, the importance of strategic diagnostic questions, and how to bridge the skills gap in relationship building. We'll explore real-world examples, including how Mark empowered a technical evaluator to win a major deal by integrating diverse systems, saving a client millions of dollars globally. Prepare to equip your sales team with invaluable, hands-on strategies, gain insights on personal branding through LinkedIn, and unlock the keys to becoming a charismatic 'rainmaker'. Join us for an enlightening conversation that's guaranteed to elevate your sales game and drive your business forward. So, get ready for an exciting ride, and let's dive in! Some areas we explore in this episode include:  Complex Internal Policies and Procedures: Impact on stalled and lost deals, highlighting that 20% of these outcomes are due to internal complexities.Sales Pipeline Stalling: Discussion on the high percentage (72%) of new sales opportunities that stall in the middle to late stages of the pipeline.Sales Pipeline Process Definition: Importance of a well-defined sales pipeline process to prevent deals from stalling.Sales Training Gaps: The shift needed from feature/functionality training to skills that focus on relationship building and understanding customer decision-making.C-Suite Communication: Strategies for translating technology features and functions into compelling business cases that resonate with senior executives.Executive Storytelling: Emphasis on using storytelling and anecdotes to engage future customers and demonstrate value.LinkedIn Personal Branding: Importance of a professional and effective LinkedIn profile as a valuable tool for showcasing client success stories.Hands-On Deal Coaching: Mark's approach to live deal coaching, workshops, and hands-on involvement to distinguish from traditional sales strategies.Addressing Technical Evaluators: Coaching technical evaluators to build solid business cases and align with stakeholders.Cash Flow Focus: Discussion on cash flow importance for early-stage software companies, emphasizing revenue growth, cost-cutting, and deal progression.And much, much more...

Welcome to another captivating episode of Predictable B2B Success, where we delve into the dynamic world of femtech with our distinguished guest, Capucine Cogne. Capucine, a seasoned freelance writer and copywriter, brings a unique perspective as a fervent advocate for women's health through her platform "Understand Your Cycle." Today, we uncover the critical gaps and stark disparities within women's health, which have led to a lack of research, underfunding, and insufficient solutions, particularly in conditions like endometriosis that affect a staggering 10% of women worldwide. Despite its enormous market potential, femtech is often overlooked, struggling with VC funding and public dialogue due to prevailing biases and taboos. Join us as Capucine takes us on her personal journey into femtech, a path paved with challenges and triumphs. Her efforts in raising period poverty awareness, from local communities to national headlines, have left an indelible mark. From mastering SEO to establish brand credibility to navigating the complexities of MedTech marketing, Capucine's journey provides a wealth of insights into building a femtech brand that educates, connects, and empowers. Tune in to discover how the intersection of branding, strategic content, and heartfelt storytelling can revolutionize perceptions and lay the groundwork for a healthier future in women's health. Some areas we explore in this episode include:  Challenges and Underfunding in Women's Health: Capucine Cogne discusses the broad challenges that the femtech sector faces, including underfunding and lack of research, specifically highlighting areas like endometriosis.The Need for Increased Education and Awareness: The importance of spreading knowledge about women's health issues, such as the menstrual cycle phases, and how understanding these can impact mood and behavior management.Social Media and Marketing Strategies for Femtech: Exploring different approaches to navigate censorship and leverage personal brands on social media platforms to promote women's health.Success Stories in Addressing Period Poverty: Highlighting specific achievements like the notable campaigns in Morocco and other awareness initiatives that have made significant local impacts.Challenges in Sharing Customer Experiences: Discussing the sensitive nature of personal health stories, especially in fertility treatments, and how cultural factors influence sharing.Growth and Potential of the Femtech Market: An analysis of the femtech market size, its growth projection, and the evolving opportunities within this sector.The Role of Strategic Branding in Femtech: Capucine emphasizes the crucial role of strategic messaging and branding in building loyalty and enhancing business development in the femtech industry.Integration of Visuals and Messaging in Branding: Examples of how effectively integrating visuals and verbal messaging can boost brand recognition and user engagement.Venture Capital Challenges in Femtech: Discussing the disconnect within the venture capital industry towards femtech, influenced by gender dynamics and taboos around women's health.Vision for the Future of Women's Health: Capucine outlines what comprehensive education and resource distribution would ideally bring to women's health, aiming for advancements in research, product development, and societal health outcomes.And much, much more...

This episode of Predictable B2B Success delves into practical strategies for engaging potential clients on LinkedIn, highlighting the value of personalization and industry insights in communication. Jason Tan, the founder of Engage AI, shares how his platform assists users in augmenting conversations across multiple channels by leveraging generative AI and large language models, enhancing B2B interactions and prospecting efforts.  Jason discusses the inception of Engage AI, inspired by his challenges in B2B sales and the realization of the importance of initiating meaningful conversations. He emphasizes Engage AI's approach of using AI to suggest but not replace human interaction in the comment drafting process, aiming to maintain authenticity.  Are you finding traditional prospecting methods like cold calls and emails to be less effective? Jason shares eye-opening insights on how incorporating AI, particularly through platforms like LinkedIn, can significantly boost client acquisition and engage passive candidates. With an impressive 11% increase in client acquisition and an 8% rise in securing top talents, the results are hard to ignore. It's not just about the numbers; it's about the story. Jason underscores the pivotal role of customer narratives in fostering trust and demonstrates how AI should enhance, not replace, human efforts in crafting these narratives. Whether you're a small business owner or part of a larger enterprise, this conversation will shed light on the practical benefits of AI in business processes and how to use technology to foster authentic connections. Tune in to discover how you can revolutionize your B2B strategies with AI and create more meaningful, productive business relationships. The podcast covers practical advice on leveraging AI responsibly and effectively in B2B sales and customer service, underscoring the potential of AI in enriching customer engagement and driving revenue growth. Some areas we explore in this episode include:  Challenges in Traditional Recruitment Practices: Discussing the ineffectiveness of traditional methods such as phone calls, emails, and in-person meetings in recruitment agencies.Integration and Advantages of AI in Recruitment: How agencies use Engage AI to improve client acquisition and engagement with passive candidates on LinkedIn.Customer Narratives and Trust: The importance of building trust and credibility through customer narratives and maintaining human elements in conversations.Internal Application of AI Before Customer-Facing Deployment: Advising B2B companies to integrate AI internally to become comfortable with the technology before applying it in customer-facing areas.AI in Prospecting and Sales: Exploring the under-discussed benefits of AI in enhancing prospecting activities and sales processes.Generative AI for Customer Service: Utilization of AI to automatically generate emails and improve communication in customer service.Accessibility and Cost-effectiveness of AI Solutions: Emphasizing how AI tools have become more accessible and economically feasible for SMBs.Augmentation vs. Automation: The idea is that AI should augment rather than replace human efforts and keep human insight as part of AI-driven processes.Building Relationships and Community Engagement: Strategies for initiating and cultivating professional relationships through targeted interactions and content on platforms like LinkedIn.Customer-Centric Platform Development: Importance of speaking with users and customers to understand their needs and enhance the user experience, referencing Steve Jobs' philosophy of simplicity.And much, much more ... Check out the LinkedIn events being run by Engage AI here - https://www.linkedin.com/events/7185801973495967745/comments/

In this episode of the Predictable B2B Success podcast, hosted by Vinay Koshy and brought to you by Sproutworth.com, guest Vikram Chalana, CEO of Pictory and a pioneer in AI-driven content creation, discusses the transformative potential of video content in B2B marketing.  With an impressive background, from a research scientist to co-founding Winshuttle and now leading Pictory, Chalana shares insights into the shift towards video marketing, stressing its critical role in enhancing user understanding, increasing sales, and improving ROI. The conversation delves into the challenges and opportunities of creating short-form videos, leveraging AI for content creation, and the importance of companies becoming media entities to drive growth and thought leadership.  Chalana also highlights user-generated content, repurposing existing content, and the power of democratizing technology to enable non-experts to create impactful videos. The episode concludes with the importance of incorporating videos into the core content marketing strategy and leveraging platforms like Pictory to overcome production barriers and enhance content engagement. Some of the areas we explore in this episode include:  The Role of AI in Video Marketing: Vikram highlights how AI, particularly technologies from OpenAI like ChatGPT, has significantly contributed to Pictory's growth by enhancing the platform's capabilities in video creation and refining search algorithms for visuals.Importance of Short Form Video Content: The discussion emphasizes the value of creating short video clips, mainly because users frequently watch videos on mute and because short, engaging content is effective on social platforms.Strategies for Video Content Repurposing: Vikram and Vinay discuss the benefits of repurposing long-form content into shorter video segments to maximize content reach and maintain audience engagement.Challenges in Video Production: They address common challenges users face in creating videos, such as the need for perfection, time constraints, and ensuring a consistent style and branding across content produced using AI tools.Use of Video in B2B Marketing: The episode covers how businesses can leverage video for B2B marketing, including creating customer testimonial videos and the pivotal role videos play in influencing purchasing decisions.Content Marketing and Thought Leadership through Videos: There's a strong focus on how videos contribute to content marketing and thought leadership, highlighting trends toward businesses functioning as media companies.Democratization of Video Creation: Vikram discusses the importance of making video creation accessible for more people, envisioning it as a standard element in office productivity suites, similar to traditional document and presentation tools.Growth and Differentiation Strategies for Pictory: Insights are provided into Pictory's market strategies in a competitive (red ocean) environment, including bundling multiple solutions and using diverse marketing channels to stand out.Importance of Context and Value in Video Clips: The episode addresses the necessity of providing adequate context to ensure the message remains clear and the content is valuable to the audience.Video SEO and Engagement Metrics: Discussion on how video content significantly enhances SEO, with insights into statistics showing the impact of video on sales, user understanding, and overall engagement on digital platforms.And much, much more...

Welcome to Predictable B2B Success, where we explore the strategies that fuel thriving B2B businesses. In today's episode, we're thrilled to introduce Joshua Lisec, the go-to ghostwriter for the Internet's favorite experts and a maestro of persuasive nonfiction that turns readers into leads.  Imagine having a silent ambassador that works tirelessly, convincing your ideal clients of your superiority without you having to say a word. Joshua is here to unveil how a well-crafted book can act as your 24/7 salesperson, outperforming any business card or digital ad with its sublime persuasive power.  Get ready to discover what 68% of B2B businesses are missing in lead generation and why 53% of marketers might be investing their budgets in strategies that could fall short. Joshua doesn't just share tactics; he shares a revolution in B2B thought leadership and lead conversion.  From the emotional resonance of risk handling to the granular details that make each story pop, this episode is a treasure trove for leaders looking to create a lasting impact. Tune in and let Joshua Lisec guide you through the intricacies of harnessing the written word to redefine success in your business. Stay with us, and let's transform your expertise into a compelling, lead-generating powerhouse! Some areas we explore in this episode include: The Role of Emotional Persuasion in B2B: Joshua Lisec discusses how reorganizing thoughts and addressing emotional aspects can impact the persuasive process in business settings.Mitigating Perceived Risks: The conversation includes strategies to alleviate the perceived risks of hiring a vendor, a critical step in building trust with potential B2B clients.Creating Lasting Impacts with Books: The episode explores the use of books as a long-term lead generation and persuasion tool rather than temporary trends or marketing materials.Audience Building Strategies: Before publishing, Joshua highlights the importance of building an audience through various platforms such as social media and influencers to ensure maximum book traction.Unconventional Insights in Content: Joshua encourages tapping into unique stories and thinking counterintuitively to offer fresh insights in a niche, which can differentiate leaders and their content.Books as Superior Marketing Collateral: The episode discusses the advantages of having a book at events and its superiority over traditional business cards and other marketing materials.The Value Proposition of Books: Key points include the importance of book presentation, value proposition, and its perpetual reminder of value to the prospect.Structuring Nonfiction Books for Business: Joshua talks about using templates and direct response copywriting techniques to create nonfiction books with commercial viability.Embedding Sales Processes in Books: The episode covers the importance of accurately capturing an author's sales process and unique system to communicate their value proposition effectively.The Effectiveness of Books in B2B Lead Generation: Joshua Lisec and the host discuss the significance of books in altering prospects' beliefs and priorities, supported by social proof and case studies, and books' broader role in the lead generation landscape for B2B businesses.And much, much more...

Welcome to Predictable B2B Success, where we empower you to achieve consistent growth in your B2B ventures through insightful conversations with industry experts. In this episode, we speak to special guest Vitalii Romanchenko, whose innovative ideas transform how businesses educate and develop their workforce.  In this episode, Vitalii, the CEO of a trailblazing generative AI startup, unveils the secret behind its groundbreaking approach to personalized video content creation. Eli, their platform, is another tool and a game-changer that has revolutionized corporate learning. It generates video training content programmatically, slashing production times and costs and scaling up engagement like never before.  Imagine the possibilities of slashing your content creation budget by thousands and boosting learning efficiency. Listen in as Vitalii reveals how their North Star metric – render minutes per paid account – is changing the face of corporate training. He also shares the obstacles they've conquered in the AI landscape and their vision for a community-driven ecosystem in the video education market. Stay with us as we explore the journey of prioritizing speed and customer feedback, the value of actionable advice for aspiring tech entrepreneurs, and the pivotal role of AI in shaping the future of corporate learning. Get ready to dive into a world where technology, strategy, and human learning collide only on Predictable B2B Success. Some areas we explore in this episode include: The importance of fast delivery and responsive hypothesis testing informed by customer feedback.The rise of interactivity and real-time communication as tools for learning and development.The evolving capabilities of AI in generating realistic videos and automated gestures.Strategies for entrepreneurs in tech and AI to take action and stay committed to their vision.The role and efficiency of video in corporate learning and development strategies.Eli's approach to personalized video content creation at scale for corporate training.The significance of video engagement and cost savings for businesses utilizing Eli's platform.Utilizing community building and an open feedback loop to improve products and foster user engagement.Inbound marketing and user success stories as methods for scaling and building customer trust.Future directions for product development, including interactive content and digital L&D assistance.And much, much more...

Welcome to another episode of Predictable B2B Success, where we explore the insights and stories that propel B2B ventures to predictable growth. I'm Vinay Koshy, your host. In this episode, we're joined by an exceptional guest: Ryan Janssen, CEO of Zenlytic, a groundbreaking business intelligence tool at the cutting edge of self-serve BI technology. Get ready to explore the rapidly evolving data landscape as Ryan unveils the transformative power of modern data tools and how they're shaping the future of business intelligence. We'll delve into why understanding changes in business metrics prevents potential pitfalls and opens up opportunities for exponential growth through nuanced insights.  Discover with us how small increments in data efficiency can lead to colossal impacts on a company's success and why the roles of data teams are shifting from mundane requests to strategic, high-leverage activities. Ryan also shares his journey from establishing a start-up to navigating the waters of venture capital and how staying technical with a passion for data helped him steer his company toward innovation. So tighten your seatbelts as we chart a path through the "decade of data," and prepare to be enlightened about the power and challenges of BI tools that are reshaping how companies leverage data for predictable success. This is not just an episode for the data-savvy; it's a vital listen for any B2B operator looking to harness the full potential of their data analytics. Some areas we explore in this episode include:  The role of customer stories and social proof in driving SaaS growth and maturity.Strategies for driving disruptive technology adoption include leveraging early adopters and signing deals quickly.The transformative impact of artificial intelligence on business efficiency, creativity, and its underestimation due to past hypes.The evolution of data teams and the shift from handling ad hoc requests to higher-value analytics facilitated by modern data stacks and AI.The challenge of dashboards in traditional business intelligence and the push for reducing ad hoc data requests through new usage patterns.The emergence and capabilities of large language models (LLMs) in business intelligence reduce data requests by as much as 80-90%.The semantic layer is important in ensuring accuracy and context for both human users and language models when accessing and interpreting data.User-friendly data analysis using chatbots and guidance tools, like Zenlytic's Zoe, that emulate conversations with a data engineer.The significance of data skills and data-driven decision-making within businesses, along with the statistics surrounding BI usage and bad data costs.Ryan Janssen's background, the founding of Zenlytic, its fundraising success, and the vision for Zenlytic to make data analysis more accessible and intuitive.And much, much more ....

In this episode of "Predictable B2B Success," we explore the confluence of emotional intelligence and strategic marketing in the B2B landscape. Our special guest, Sophia Dagnon, a renowned strategist at GetUplift, brings a fresh perspective on decoding customer behaviors and aligning them with business goals. Have you ever wondered why some strategies fall flat while others resonate and drive incredible growth? Sophia unravels this mystery by emphasizing the often-overlooked emotional drivers that influence decision-making in the tech sector. She explains the intricate dance between tactics and overarching strategies and how leadership buy-in shapes the trajectory of successful messaging and marketing. Discover how to elicit powerful emotional responses without directly asking about them, the nuances of aligning emotional insights with hard KPIs, and the secret sauce behind improving conversion rates by tapping into customer emotions. Sophia offers a treasure trove of practical approaches using case studies, including how one client achieved a remarkable boost in conversions and views by understanding and catering to distinct customer personas. Tune in for an episode that will transform your approach to B2B marketing and equip you with the tools to forge deeper customer connections and drive predictable business success. Some areas we explore in this episode include:  Strategy vs Tactics: Aligning the right tactics with overarching business strategies for effective B2B growth.Emotional Targeting Methodology: Understanding and aligning customer and team emotions with leadership direction.Customer Behavior: Employing emotional insights to gauge customer perceptions and behavior towards products.Leadership Buy-in: The importance of c-suite executives' buy-in and role in message testing and marketing direction.Team Perception & Surveys: Incorporating internal team beliefs through surveys and interviews to align with customer insights.Customer Insights Challenges: Techniques to engage with and gain valuable customer insights, even when difficult.Emotional Marketing & KPIs: Linking emotional targeting with company KPIs, including methods to improve conversion rates.Consistency in Internal Communication: The significance of regularly sharing test updates and results with relevant stakeholders.Utilizing Existing Research: Building upon previous customer research and tests by collaborating with cross-functional teams.Emotional Impact on Consumer Behavior: Discussing how emotional marketing resonates with B2B consumers and influences purchasing decisions.And much, much more...